Key-chain reel.



G. G. BELL.

KEY CHAIN HEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 11, 1911.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

GEORGE GODFREY BELL, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

KEY-CHAIN REEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 19118.

Application filed December 17, 1917. Serial No. 207,488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that T, GnoRGn GODFREY BELL, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement-in Key-Chain Reels, of which the following is a specification.

In the usual construction of key-chains, the chain has a key-ring on one end'to which the keys are secured and on the other end a--wire loop for securing the chain to a button on the clothes. The chain must be sufliciently long so that the keys may be brought into a convenient position for use. Usually the bunch of keys are held in a rear pocket when not in use and the chain hangs downward from the button and pocket in a long loop. The key-chain when thus used is unsightly and in the way, the looped chain is liable to become caught on stationary objects, in moving about, thereby jerking the keys out of the pocket or pulling the button off the clothes, or both.

The object of my invention is to provide a key-chain with a spring actuated reel adapted to wind the chain up on the reel, thereby eliminating the looped chain, the use of a pocket for the keys, which wear out the pocket, and other undesirable features.

A further object Of my invention is to provide a key-chain and ring with a key-chain reel having a casing, a spring actuated reel in the casing to which the inner end of the chain is secured, means on the back of the casing for detachably and pivotally securin the reel to a button on the wearing appare and means on the front of the casing for detachably securing the key-ring with the keys, to the casing.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of a key-cham reel, said key-chain reel having details of construction, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter and claimed.

Figured is a side view of the body portion of a man showing the key-chain reel attached to a suspender button over the rear pocket, with the chain drawn out so as to bring the keys into a convenient position for use, in full lines, and with the eys drawn back next to the reel, when not in use, in broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the key-chain reel. 7

opening 12 in the strap 11 and then Fig. 3 is a back view of the key-chain reel, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view partly in section, taken on line 4. 4: of Fig. 2, and showing the reel attached to a Suspender button on the clothing.

In the drawing 3 indicates the Waist band of a pair of trousers, 4 a suspender button, 5 a key-chain, 6 a key-ring secured to the outer end of the chain, and 7 my improved key-chain reel. The key-chain 5 and keyring 6 may be of any well known construction.

The reel 7 consists of a fiat circular casing of sheet metal having the central bearings 8. 8 in the front and back, a chain opening 9 in its edge, a spring hook 10 on its front and a button attaching spring strap 11 secured at one end to the back of the casing. This strap 11 has a button hole opening 12 in the shape of an inverted keyhole in its free end, with the contracted part of the opening toward the free end of the strap. The fixed end of the strap is shaped to lie fiat to the back of the casing. The rest of the strap is shaped to have an outward bend 13, a straight portion 14 parallel with the back, an outward bend 15 on approximately a line with the center of the button hole opening 12 and a straight free end portion 16 parallel with the back of the casing, when in use, as shown in Fig. 4. A reel 17 in the casing has a shaft 18 rotatably supported in the bearings 8. 8 in the casing and a helical spring 19 in the casing has one end secured to the shaft 18 and the other end secured to a in 20 in the casing. The inner end of the ey-chain 5 extends through the chain opening 9 in the casing and is secured to the reel 17 on which it is wound up by the. spring 19. The outward bend 15 across the button hole opening 12 allows a free entrance to the button, with the spring strap 11 sprung back toward the casing, which is its normal position. The

reel is attached by placing the reel in a position for the button to enter the button hole pulling downward on the reel. This forces t ,ton upward between the spring strap and the back of the casing with the shankof the buttoii in the upppr end of the contracted portion of the utton hole opening, as shown in Fig. 4:. The button is now held e but.-'

frictionally between the back of the reel' and the spring strap and the shank of the button forms a pivot for the reel. When it is necessary to use the keys, the keys and chain are pulled outward to bring the keys into a convenient position for use, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the reel-pivoting on the shank of the button so as bring the chain opening in the reel on a line with the pull of the chain This unwinds the chain from the reel and winds up the reel spring. When not in use the reel winds up the chain on the reel in the casing and the keys may a spring actuated reel in the caslng, a key- -chain extending through a hole in the casing and secured to the reel, on which it is Wound, a key-ring on the outer end ofthe key-chain, a hook fixed at one end to the front of the casing and a strap on the back of the casing, said strap being secured at one end to the casing and having a buttonhole opening adjacentits free end and an outward bend at each side of the buttonhole opening, whereby the free end of the strap is held away from the back of the casing, for the purpose as described.

2. A key-chain reel comprising a casing,

a spring actuated reel in the casing, a keychain extending through a hole in the edge of the casing and secured to the reel, on which it is wound, and spring strap secured at one end to the back of the reel and having a button-hole opening in the shape of an inverted key-hole, adjacent the free end, an outward bend adjacent its fixed end, a straight portion, an outward bend at each side of the button hole opening and a straight free end portion, and a spring hook on the frontof the casing, for the purpose as described.

3. A key-chain reel comprising a clrcular' casing having central bearlngs 1n the front and back and a chain opening in its edge,

a spring hook on the front of the casing, a button attaching spring strap secured at one end to the back of the casing, and having a button-hole opening in the form of an inverted key-hole, in its free end, an outward bend adjacent the fixed end, a straight portion, an'outward bend at each side of the button-hole opening and a straight free end portion, a reel in the casing and having a shaft rotatably supported in the bearings in the casing, a helical spring in the casing and having one end secured tothe reel shaft and the other end secured to a pin in the casing, and a key-chain extending through the chain opening in the casing and secured to the reel, on which it is wound, whereby the reel is pivotally and detachably secured to a button on wearing apparel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE GODFREY BELL. 

